Cryptid/ Mythological Creature Encyclopedia

Cyclops

Animal Class: Mammal

Diet: Carnivorous

Despite what popular culture has shown, these creatures are actually terrible when it comes to combat because their one eye makes it hard to see opponents that aren't directly in front of them.

Thanks to their eyesight being limited, they have heightened senses of smell, touch, and hearing which they use to their advantage when hunting prey. 

While they are capable of speech and problem solving, they are not as intelligent as other creatures and do not live alongside Humans. They prefer to live in small villages in mountains and forests, preferably mountains.

They hunt prey like Deer, Elk, and Moose by using their enhanced senses to track it down and then surround it on all sides while firing arrows at it and stabbing at it with spears until it succumbs to its wounds.

While they are able to make and use fire, they don't use it to cook their prey: They eat it raw. 

The leader of their villages is decided every five years through single combat: either hand to hand combat or with large clubs. The current leader will defend their title from challengers and whoever beats that leader automatically becomes the new leader, however the lead Cyclops will not give up its leadership position so easily. One village was once recorded to have had the same leader for 55 years and that leader only lost their leadership role because their age got the better of them in a fight.

Naturally live in Europe, but have migrated into places like Asia as well as North and South America. 

Can live for around 70 to 90 years, but it is believed that ancient and more primitive versions of them had much longer lifespans. 

They are very protective of their eyes and wear protective covers over them when hunting or fighting.

Extra Fun Fact: The Cyclops that appears in "The Odyssey" is now widely believed to actually be a hybrid between a Cyclops and a Giant rather than a true Cyclops.